The Three Musketeers
by charlotteandlizzy
Summary: A modern day take on the friendships of Charlotte, Jane and Elizabeth & who they meet along the way. This was written a long, long time ago from a different frame of reference.
1. Chapter 1

THE THREE MUSKETEERS

 _T-minus one hour…_

She could describe her two best friends in one word each, though one word could hardly do either of them any justice.

Jane was ethereal and her sister Lizzy was effervescent. Indeed, if you looked up those words and all their synonyms in the dictionary, they described the Bennet sisters to a T. Charlotte Lucas – Char- was just - dowdy. Oh sure, she was attractive, but standing in the same vicinity as the ethereal Jane and the effervescent Lizzy, Char was positively unappealing. Her friends saw what she could not see. Char was a beauty as well, but you needed time to see her for herself – after the shock that was the Bennet sisters wore off – though for some, it never did.

Charlotte, Jane and Lizzy called themselves the Three Musketeers as they had formed a bond of sisterhood from an early age. They each had a lust for life. Their equal intelligence drew them to one another in grade school and their individual personalities played off of one another so that they were the perfect trio. They held onto one another when the times were hard, a raft of arms and legs never letting go, always holding on, sometimes the only way they could stay afloat at all.

Jane was the peacemaker with her calm and quiet demeanor, while Lizzy harbored a more mercurial temperment. Char was an equalizer, a balance of Jane's goodness and Lizzy's excitability, together they flourished. They were the Three Musketeers – all for one and one for all! A slight to one was a slight to all, an achievement for one was celebrated by all. And now was a time for celebrating their singular and collective achievements.

In one hour they would collectively be graduating from the Perelman School of Medicine. The three girls graduated from high school and entered college at the same time. Char, at 18, had chosen an accelerated 7 year track for her specialty in pediatrics. Jane had skipped the 7th grade and so she at 17, would start her studies toward obstetrics, but as Lizzy was a prodigy, she entered college with Jane and Char at the age of 15, received her BA at 18 years, and was finishing her medical degree with a focus on anesthesiology at 22. The three had won the residency lottery and would be moving together to Pittsburgh. Char and Lizzy were matched in a residency program at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh with Jane matched close by at Magee-Women's.

"How do I look ladies?" Jane asked, innocently twirling for her roommates.

"You look like an angel in a choir robe, Jane, as usual!" Lizzy snapped her gum and grinned.

"Char! Let's get this show on the road, Murph's is holding some cold ones for us at our usual spots, but we gots to get that paper to make it O-Fish-E-Al first!" Lizzy giggled and held the door open for Jane and Char.

Char took a sweeping look at their nearly empty apartment, took a deep breath and marched on, as the Doctors Bennet awaited.

Three hours later . . . "please get Doctor Lucas another Guinness and the other Doctor Bennet another pinot! I will take a Jameson and ginger, my good man!" Lizzy drawled to the bartender. Congratulations were heard around the bar again, and someone paid for the latest round. "We did it." Lizzy whispered to herself. "We actually did it."

Char glanced down the bar at Lizzy who's laughing smile suddenly turned into a thin line as her eyes misted. Char watched as she swiped a small tear away, and turned her 600 watt smile back on to the eager young man sitting to her right. Making her way to Lizzy she whispered "they would be so proud of us. You know that they would. Your dad would be buying the entire pub a round and your mom would have been flirting with Bob the bartender while my mom took bets on who he liked better. We made it, babe, they saw us do it." She smiled quickly as Lizzy nodded and winked. Crisis averted.

The Three Musketeers were about to embark on their residencies in Pittsburgh. Three girls from Jim Thorpe, about to make the big time. Three girls, otherwise adrift, about to land in the city of Black and Gold.


	2. Chapter 2

_Six years later . ._ .

"Char, I'm going to drop Jane off early, one of her patients is going in to be induced. I've got a 9am consult with a new surgical patient. We'll meet for lunch, yah?" Lizzy spoke through the bathroom door.

"I'm light today, Lizzy, I'm just filling in for Jesse for a few hours. If you wait 10 minutes, I'll come with. I've got a few patients I'd like to just walk around and peek in on – I hear some of the Penguins are stopping in on the oncology floor to visit our kiddos, I want to get a gander at that luscious Beau Bennett – Bennet!"

"Got it! Your chariot awaits!" Lizzy guffawed as she sauntered off to find her keys.

 _At Magee –_

"Alright Louisa, we are going to monitor you for an hour while the induction meds circulate. The monitors will tell us when your contractions start if you don't tell us first, and I will be here until we meet little Miss Hurst. How is that?"

Louisa gave a twinkling smile in agreement and Jane twinkled back. As she turned around she ran right into a rather nice smelling chest.

"Oh! I'm so sorry, are you one of my sister's nurses?" the nice smelling man smiled. "Charles! That is 'Doctor' Bennet! Oh Charles! Ha! She is certainly not a nurse!" Louisa was amused and appalled at her perpetually bumbling little brother. "Dr. Bennet, this is my brother Chuckie!" Louisa's eyes danced and Charles blushed. Laughing, Jane said "pleased to meet you, Charles. I'm Dr. Jane Bennet, the attending today, I will be floating around and poking your sister now and then. Sit back and relax, your niece will be here some time today!"

 _At CHP . . ._

"Dr. Lizzy, at your service, and who might you be?" Lizzy beamed at a whispy blond teen. "This is my sister, Georgiana Darcy, you are the anesthesiologist, I presume?" Taken aback at the haughty gentleman addressing her, she winked at her patient and curtsied while primly replying "you presume correctly, sir!" Georgiana burst into a fit of giggles. "I'm Gigi!"

"Well, Gigi, I'm going to go over what you can expect today. You are here for a rather routine surgery, but as with all surgical procedures there are risks, do you understand that?"

"She does, Dr. Bennet, we've been over this with her other doctors." Mr. Darcy barked.

"I see, Gigi" Lizzy stated, pointedly looking at Gigi's brother. "Since, your attack dog, here seems intent on butting into our conversation, perhaps you should introduce me." Lizzy winked at Gigi. Gigi giggled out "this is my brother Will."

"Gigi, do you giggle as a rule?" Lizzy smiled. Gigi simply giggled in response.

"Then I am going to call you Giggles! I give all my patient's nicknames." Gigi beamed at her. "Don't mind my brother, he gets nervous in hospitals."

Lizzy looked over at Will just as he softly smiled at his sister. "Mr. Darcy, are you Giggles' guardian?" Lizzy asked as she flashed a blinding smile at Will.

Momentarily struck dumb by the dark haired beauty before him, Will managed to nod in the affirmative while Gigi continued giggling.

"Well, then, let me explain what will happen today. I'm going to give you the good drugs." Lizzy winked at Gigi. "Then we will play a little game of name that Disney movie, you will fail hopelessly as you begin to fall asleep, the doctors will perform the surgery on your ACL tear and I will monitor your progress during the surgery. Then, I will give you some more good drugs to pull you out of your slumber so you can see the scowling face of your attack dog here, resting at your bedside." Gigi giggled. "How does that sound? What questions can I answer?" Lizzy now turned to Will.

Still struck dumb, Will managed to mumble that he had no other questions. Lizzy patted Giggles on the hand, flashed a smile and began to walk away. Will caught up with her in the hall.

"I'm sorry that I come off as an attack dog, Dr. Bennet." Will managed a small smile. Lizzy began to accept his apology as Will continued "she is all I have, please take care of her. Please make sure the others do as well." Will's shoulders slumped and he turned a pleasant shade of pink.

Lizzy stopped, put her hand on his arm and said, "it is routine Mr. Darcy. She will be giggling for you in no time at all. Don't worry about her. Leave the drug-inducing stupor to me, the repairs to the surgeon and the healing to Giggles. We totally got this!" Lizzy flashed another beatific smile at Will and though once again struck dumb, he managed to smile back.


	3. Chapter 3

_Four hours later…_

"Little Bit, I am just going to pop out for coffee now that you are awake. Is that ok? Do you need anything?" Will anxiously asked Georgiana. "I don't need anything, Will. I will just rest some more." Georgiana said sleepily.

Just as Georgiana started to drift off, she heard, "so Giggles, how are you feeling? Are you still groggy? Any itchiness, numbness?" Hearing her new favorite doctor kicked off another round of sleepy giggles.

Shortly thereafter, as he was about to enter Georgiana's room, Will was arrested by the following conversation:

"Dr. Lizzy? How old are you!?" Georgiana gasped. "I'm so sorry, that is so rude, Will is always telling me not to ask rude questions, but I usually ask them anyway." Georgiana nervously giggled. "But, I mean, you-you look too young to be a doctor. Isn't medical school like 8 years long?" Georgiana averted her eyes, fearful she'd upset her favorite doctor.

Laughing breezily, Lizzy said "I am not too young to be a doctor." Smiling, Lizzy continued, "But, I did graduate from high school when I was 15, from college at 18 and medical school at 22. I'm almost 28 now, but I am the youngest attending anesthesiologist in the country." A wide-eyed and giggling Georgiana simply said "wow!"

"I don't mean to pry, Giggles, but your attack dog made it sound like you had lost your folks." Lizzy asked quietly.

Georgiana slowly responded, "We lost them 10 years ago when I was 5. They were doing the Tail of the Dragon…"

Lizzy interrupted, "I'm sorry? The Tail of the Dragon?"

"Um, yeah. It's this dangerous, windy, curvy road in the mountains that people like to ride motorcycles on in the fall to see the leaves. I think it is 11 miles long and has something like 318 curves. It is in the Smoky Mountains spanning both Tennessee and North Carolina. I saw it, after they died. It really is beautiful in the fall. Anyway, as my parents were coming around one of those curves on their bike, someone driving an RV and taking up the entire road, drove straight into their path. They had no where to go."

"Oh! Gigi! I'm so very sorry!" Lizzy whispered reaching out to clasp Georgiana's hand.

As Will made to step fully into the room, he heard, "I lost my parents about 10 years ago too." Frozen in place, both Gigi and Will waited to hear more.

"I grew up on the other side of the state in Jim Thorpe, PA a beautiful mountain town. Do you know Jim Thorpe?" At Georgiana's head shake, Lizzy continued, "Thorpe was a Native American and an Olympic gold medalist, baseball player, football player and actor who died in the 50's. They named my town after him after they bought his remains and buried them in the town square!" Lizzy laughed. "I grew up with my older sister Jane, and my best friend Char. I had younger twin sisters too, Mary and Kitty – they were a year younger than me." Lizzy paused and stared out the window. "My mom and dad were professors at Lehigh University. My dad was a behavioral neuroscience professor and my mom was an Asian studies professor. My mom was Korean. Char's mom was my mom's best friend and the English teacher at our high school. They had all gone to a fall party for faculty and family at the University, and on the way home, they were run off the road by a drunk driver. Their car fell about 30 feet off a hillside. All five of them passed away. Jane, Char and I were all in Philadelphia at Penn's medical school at the time. We would have been home, but we were in an accelerated program and each of us had projects over fall break." Lizzy's voice was only a whisper.

Gigi squeezed her hand and said "so you only have your older sister too?"

Lizzy and Gigi's eyes met and for no explicable reason, they both began to giggle.

Taking a breath, Gigi said "But how did you graduate at 15?"

"Well, I always followed Jane and Char around and so I learned everything they did! Actually though, I'd skipped the 3rd and then the 5th and 7th grade as I continued to be more advanced than my classmates. Jane skipped her 7th grade year so we all ended up finishing high school at the same time, were accepted into an accelerated pre-med/med school program at Penn and we were each matched with hospitals in Pittsburgh. We are family, the only family we have - the Three Musketeers as my dad used to call us!" Lizzy laughed and said with a smirk, "we even have matching tattoos!"

"Where! Can I see it? What is it!?" Gigi asked excitedly.

Lizzy pulled her lab coat away from her left collar bone to reveal a small tattoo. "It's a caduceus. Only the Hermes' staff is a musketeer rapier instead. We thought it was clever. Jane's is on the inside of her ankle and Char has hers on the back of her neck. We got them right after we graduated from med school."

"That is so cool! I hope to have friends as close as you one day." Gigi sighed and shifted uncomfortably.

Just then, Will walked into the room and Lizzy jumped up quickly stuttering, "I should be going, I've got a few more patients to see today! Get some sleep, Giggles. I will check on you tomorrow before you are discharged."

Hurrying out of the room after Lizzy, Will gently touched her arm, "thank you for sharing your story with my sister. She is usually quite quiet and withdrawn. Your good drugs have clearly brought out another side of her… And…" Will paused "I am very sorry that you have also lost your parents, would you like to get a coffee with me? I mean . . . I don't mean because you lost your parents, I mean . . . Oh! Um."

Resting her hand on Will's, Lizzy laughingly said "I'd love to get a coffee with you. I'd also love to introduce you and Giggles to Dr. Lucas and Dr. Bennet – the other musketeers."

"Actually, this might sound a bit silly, but we like to watch hockey at the Primanti's near our house in Cranberry Township. There's a game Saturday night. Gigi should be stir crazy by then. It's family friendly?" Lizzy ended her sentence in a question like most Western Pennsylvanians, looking up at Will through her lashes.

"I, we, would love to meet you there… but I'm a Sabers fan." Will joked.

"I won't hold it against you. It isn't like you're a Caps fan. We couldn't even be friends." Lizzy winked. "I'll swing by tomorrow to finalize plans, I guess."

Lizzy walked away wondering how someone could win two lotteries in one lifetime.

 _Five hours later…_

The tea kettle was piping and Lizzy was staring into space. "Earth to Lizzy!" "What's up Lizard breath?" Jane and Char were standing in front of Lizzy waiting for her answer.

"Oh! I was just thinking about the day I had and I'm still not sure what happened." Lizzy said.

"Spill it, Liz. I saw you with tall, dark and OMG! What gives?" Char laughed.

"Wait, you met someone too?" Jane started. "Jane!" Lizzy and Char shouted. Giggling, the trio of doctors headed to their favorite spots to dish on their day.

"His name is Charles Bingley! The brother of one of my patients. She delivered a beautiful little cherub this afternoon. He said he'd like to take me out." Jane smiled.

"His name is Will Darcy. He's the brother of one of _my_ patients. I invited him and his teenage sister to hockey and bites on Saturday." Lizzy sunk into the pillow looking sheepish.

Char threw up her hands laughing. "Crap… third wheel again! Do either of them have a cousin?"

When the girls stopped laughing, Char asked "so what do these prince charmings do, ladies?"

Jane and Lizzy looked at each other, shrugged their shoulders and laughed. "We could Google-stalk them!" Char said excitedly while pulling out her iPad.


	4. Chapter 4

_A half-hour later…_

As Charlotte, Lizzy and Jane sat slack-jawed and staring at the screen, Lizzy, eyes bulging yelled, "I can't just go watch hockey with them! Do they even watch hockey?"

"The CEO of Darcy Enterprises?" Lizzy landed on the ottoman with a thud. "That is the largest medical components and technology company in the world!"

"It says here that Charles Bingley is the General Counsel and VP… they know each other?" Char asked.

"This other article has the Bingley's as a prominent family in their own right, mixing with Hillman's and Heinz's and the like." Jane whispered. "We are three hicks from coal-town, we might as well be West Virginians in their eyes. Ugh!" Lizzy cried as she rolled from the ottoman to the floor as dramatically as possible.

Char, trying to be diplomatic said "We are doctors, Lizzy Bennet! Last I checked, we do not accept chickens as payment." Char smirked. "We are ALL going to hockey and bites on Saturday. Invite them both and anyone else they would like to bring." Jane and Lizzy looked at Char warily.

"Don't look at me like that. We are doing this. You two deserve this! Jane! The last guy who asked you out drove an Uber and wanted you to pay his rent! Lizard, come on! The last guy you dated was a 'starving artist' and wanted you to pay his rent! You both deserve to meet and date a professional, someone with their shit together. And… if there is one for me, I will not complain. That Collins' security guard keeps asking me out. Nope!" Char popped her 'p'.

Giggling, the Three Musketeers continued to Google-stalk their unsuspecting new friends until the wee hours of the morning.

 _The following morning …_

"They are just people, Lizzy Bennet, just like you... people with a gazillion dollars!" Lizzy sighed and walked toward Georgiana's room.

Lizzy could hear giggles before she was half-way down the hall. Pulling back the privacy curtain, she danced into Georgiana's room announcing, "Dr. Lizzy! At your service!" As expected, she was rewarded with more giggles.

"Dr. Lizzy!" Sitting to the left of Georgiana with his feet on her bed was a handsome man dressed in a military uniform. Lizzy stared trying to order her thoughts.

"Dr. Lizzy, this is my cousin, Richard Fitzwilliam. Ricardo, this is Dr. Lizzy Bennet, my anesthesiologist." Lizzy eyed Georgiana, and smiled.

Richard abruptly stood up an extended a hand to Lizzy. "My little dumpling has been telling me all about her stay here. I have to say, it is a wonderful facility-cheerful even, and everyone we've met has been lovely."

Lizzy shook Richard's hand, eyeing the silver oak leaf on his shoulder. "Thank you! Lt. Colonel? Right?" Richard simply raised an eyebrow. "We don't see too many military men in here, the only close base is an Air Reserve Station out by the airport."

"I'm stationed at the Pentagon. I drove in this morning for a few days to see my little dumpling…."

"Richard! Stop calling me that!"

"…and keep her company while her brother gets a quick shower." Lizzy smirked.

"So no attack dog, Giggles? What ever will we do!" Both Lizzy and Georgiana giggled, Richard simply raised that eyebrow again.

After making note of no lingering complications from the anesthesia, Lizzy patted Georgiana's hand and quietly said "how do you feel about hockey? I've invited you and your brother to Primanti's to watch Saturday's game againt the Devils. I wasn't really sure if that would be your or your brother's thing. The Three Musketeers will be there, we wear our favorite Pens sweaters, eat, get loud, eat, swear a little… eat!"

"OMG, OMG, OMG! Oh! I can't wait! I know NOTHING about hockey, but I have a crush on Beau Bennett!" Georgiana squeal-giggled and bounced. "And I LOVE PRIMANTI'S FRIES!" 'OH! Richard! Do you think I can go?!"

Laughing, Lizzy handed her number to Georgiana and said "you and Char will have to wrestle for him! He was here in the cancer ward yesterday while you were out of it. If I had known, I would have had him stop in to take silly pictures on your phone while you were asleep." Lizzy winked at Georgiana. Tossing her head toward Richard, "if your cousin is still in town, bring him too!" Lizzy started toward the door as Richard just stared.

"Tell the attack dog that I stopped and gave you the all clear. Give him my number, and if he is still willing to slum it with us doctor-types, have him text me to finalize plans. You have been an easy patient, Giggles!" Saluting Giggles and the Lt. Col., Lizzy walked out the door and right into Will Darcy who said,"Her attack dog will definitely text you." Will smirked and Lizzy walked backwards along the wall until she reached the nurse's station and could breathe again.

 _Five minutes later…_

It took five minutes before Gigi had stopped giggling and Richard could get his eyebrow out of his hair line. "Darce! Who and what was that, and where has she been all my life?"

"Ricardo, {giggles} back off! We saw her first!"

"Richard, that tiny lightening bolt was Dr. Bennet. I understand she is an academic prodigy, the youngest attending anesthesiologist in the country, and a hockey fan, specifically Penguins hockey." Will smirked again.

"Wow. . . I . . . I'm . . . Dumpling! I'm coming to watch hockey with you on Saturday!" Flustered, Richard sat next to Georgiana and a new round of giggles commenced.

Saturday could not get here fast enough for three souls sitting on the general surgery floor of CHP in Lawrenceville one Wednesday morning.


	5. Chapter 5

**_Someone wanted longer chapters... this one is my longest, mostly because it is also where I stopped writing years ago. LOL! Hmmm. What next! The feast is sketched out, as it is something I do every year (my avatar pic is the first, albeit small, food fest we did-it is huge now). The house is also sketched out. Caro still doesn't know our girls are docs. Richard is clearly smitten with Charlotte. We didn't really get any time with ODC. Giggles is my favorite character. I typically don't write Bingley & Jane as I usually despise Bingley. But he is good here. Chime in! Let's write a story! Thank you for all the reviews!_**

 _Saturday morning ..._

"J-Bird! I'll be in the office, I have a quick conference call and then I'm going to get a pedi." Lizzy shouted through Jane's closed door. Peeking out, Jane said "are plans finalized for tonight? Charles has said he will be there and may bring a sister…" "Not the one who just popped out a wee one, I hope!" Lizzy interrupted. "No, she is home and I can't imagine she wants to leave anytime soon." Jane laughed.

Lizzy lounged against the wall and said "I texted Will, he and Gigi and a cousin are coming." Lizzy winked "Don't tell Char!"

"Don't tell Char what?" Charlotte said while descending the steps. "Oh, you never let me have fun Charmander. The Darcy's are bringing a cousin!" Lizzy skipped away and faux-slammed the office door, while Charlotte just shook her head, never quite sure if she should take Lizzy seriously.

 _5:45 – Primanti's …_

"Triple D to the O to the C to the T-O-R! Over here! I've got two tables front-center for you!" Screeched a teenage waitress in a cropped Pens top as they made their way to the back of the house. "Hey, why two tables? Got some dates?" Lizzy simply raised her eyebrow and said "Lyddie, where is the rest of your shirt? And please never chant that ever again." All four ladies giggled.

"Yes and no, Lyddie. We have some friends coming, we think there will be eight of us." Jane said sweetly.

"Gotcha doc! I'll be back when your crew shows. I gotta go bus a couple tables." Lyddie skipped off into the center of the restaurant.

As Char busied herself arranging the two tables for max-comfort, Will and Gigi walked up to Lizzy. "Lizzy!" Gigi shouted while Will smiled. "I'm so excited to be here! Nice sweater!"

"It's new! I'm a big fan of Matt Cullen's children. LOL! So I got his jersey." Lizzy winked at Will and walked Gigi over to the table. Just then Char moved to welcome Lizzy's friends and and ran into the broad chest of one Richard Fitzwilliam. Staring slack-jawed and a bit unbecomingly at one another, Char managed to cheep "cousin?" Lizzy laughed and began the introductions.

"Will and Gigi Darcy, please meet my sister, Dr. Jane Bennet, and my best friend slash sister Dr. Charlotte Lucas." Hands were shook and smiles and murmured hellos were exchanged. "Jane, Char _this_ is Lt. Colonel Richard Fitzwilliam." Smirking, she continued looking sideways at Char, "the cousin you requested." Richard looked a bit stunned as he took in the three beauties before him.

Lizzy pulled Will to a chair near her as Char asked Gigi some quick clinical questions to ensure her comfort, put her crutches against the bar, and high-fived her for their matching Bennett sweaters. The six of them settled in chatting comfortably.

"O-M-Gorgeous! Are hunky men just falling from the sky?" Lyddie flirted and bounced. "Lyddie, be good." Jane smiled at her.

Richard and Will were looking at Lyddie with a trace of fear in their eyes. Laughing, Lizzy explained "Lyddie is our 'little sister' and she is as harmless as she is feisty, but we love her!" Lyddie smiled and began to ask Gigi for her drink order and her name. As Lyddie made her way around their group, Lizzy, sensing a bit of confusion explained mostly to Will, "we mentor with Big Brothers and Big Sisters. Lyddie has a … similar background to us…"

"That is Lizbiz's nice way of saying my parents are dead." Lydia winked at Gigi.

"… and so we, the three of us, started mentoring her when she was 13."

"I'm the fourth Musketeer!" Lyddie appeared to be thinking and sputtered "d'Artagnan right?" Then she shrugged and bounced off to get drinks.

"… she visits us on holidays or when we are off and we help her with some studies. She's a star volleyball player and swimmer, so we try to attend as many matches and meets as we can. She lives with her aunt and uncle nearby. Now that she is almost 17, we mostly just hang out and do girl things or get her to save us the prime spot here." Lizzy gestured to the table. "She wants to be a nurse, so we keep her interested in that career with grusome tales of the hospital." Lizzy laughed.

At that moment, Lyddie appeared at the table with a loaded tray of drinks and a bewildered red-head. "Big sis, I think this one's for you!" as she pushed said red-head into an empty chair next to Jane. Everyone began to laugh when they heard, "seriously, what kind of nothing hick town are we in, Charles? Can these people be more backward? And _what_ are they wearing?" The harpy then sat down as close as possible to "dear William." Jane blushed and looked down at her sweater, as Lizzy was physically restraining Lyddie who had balled up her fists and was bouncing dangerously.

Oblivious, the venomous woman continued, "Did I hear someone mention nurses? Seriously, Charles? You brought Darcy and me here to meet Nurses?" ignoring the fact that she was the last to arrive, and they didn't come with Darcy.

Lizzy guided a still fuming Lyddie away from their table asking her to bring the new gentleman a beer, and sat quietly next to Will shaking her head slightly to indicate that no one need correct the woman.

The red-headed newcomer introduced himself as Charles Bingley and the snake at his side as his sister Caroline. She shockingly refused Jane's outstretched hand, so everyone not already introduced, simply introduced themselves as Gigi tried to make herself small in her seat between Charlotte and Elizabeth.

"Bingley, how do you know our charming hostesses?" Richard said trying to break the tension.

"I actually don't. I only met, Jane…" Charles inclined his head toward Jane, "at the hospital the other day when my niece Hannah was born…" Caroline huffed.

The table was silent and awkward for a time as each occupant reviewed the menu. Lizzy leaned over to Gigi and said "Giggles, I can recommend the pizza, but my favorite is the kielbasa sandwich as long as it has . . . "

Caroline interrupted Lizzy with "Really William, you can't let dear Georgiana eat such vile food. We should go somewhere more nutritious. There has to be a good restaurant here someplace!" Caroline made to stand when she was startled by Will turning his back to her.

Leaning over Lizzy, Will said "the kielbasa, kraut and extra fries are Gigi's favorites too." Will winked at Gigi and she squeezed Lizzy's hand.

Orders were taken and the game against the Tampa Bay Lightning had begun. Jane and Charles occassionally shyly whispered together between the cheers of the restaurant. Charlotte, Richard and Lizzy diligently explained the game play to an interested Gigi and Will sat quietly taking in the entire scene, except when he jumped from his seat about 4 minutes into the first when Hornqvist scored the first goal of the game. Caroline simply fumed when she found that she was not the center of attention.

Gigi picked up the game fast and cheered with the rest of the crowd when Crosby scored a goal in the second period. Booed loudly when LeTang got rocked by Boyle and then rocked again by Brown. She uncharacteristically whooped when Cullen scored in the third, smiling from ear to ear. The whole table, save Caroline, booed when Fleury got pulled.

Sandwiches, fries, pizza and wings were consumed, but the game ended in a loss for the Pens, though you would never know it from the smiles all around. As Lyddie was cleaning up the table around them, Will leaned over to Lizzy and said "coffee might have been a quieter idea." Lizzy scoffed, "and miss Queen Caro's quips or the sticky sweetness of Janie and Charlie over there?" Lizzy paused a moment and offered, "um, yeah, how do you feel about Asian food?"

At this question, the entire table looked at Lizzy. "Yes! That would be great." Jane nodded enthusiasticly at Lizzy then looked at Charles. Char looked at Richard and then back at Lizzy also nodding. The rest of the table was simply confused.

"Um, I like most Asian food? I think." Will responded to three smiling doctors.

"Good!" They all shouted.

"So, Monday is Lunar New Year and…" Lizzy started.

"Oh! No one does Chinese New Year like Chinatown in New York! I just love the dragon dances, but the food! I would not touch it! Besides, how do you even celebrate? There is no Chinatown here" Caroline said disparagingly.

"…as I was saying, Monday is _Lunar_ New Year." Lizzy stopped and looked at a now pleading Jane and the rest of their now appalled friends.

"No." Lizzy quietly said to herself as fire gathered in her petite frame. "Listen, _Caro_ , I am not sure in which fashion magazine you read about the new year, but it is not 'Chinese New Year' it is Lunar New Year and every Asian country in the East celebrates it. Every south Asian country celebrates it, albeit on a different day. I will have you know, Jane and I are NOT Chinese. We are Korean." Lizzy was worked up.

"Whatever, what's the difference?" Caro snidely responded gesturing at Jane.

Char's eyes bulged and Jane closed hers as she heard her sister's typical response "in case you have not noticed, not all Asians look like Mulan!"

Lyddie chose this moment to slide back toward their table. "It's the year of the pig, this one…" pointing at Caroline "…will fit right in."

"Shut it, Caroline. You've said quite enough!" Charles growled. Both Darcy and Richard looked ready to drag her out. Caroline sat alternately glaring at Lyddie and her brother.

"Anyway!" Lizzy started again. "We host an Annual Asian Food Fest at ours every year for the New Year." All eyes were on her. "We three and friends set out our favorite asian foods-mostly Korean-and we gorge until we can't stand." Gigi giggled. As she continued talking, Char passed a cell-photo of last year's feast around. Richard's eyes were as round as plates "I would like to attend every year for the rest of my life. Please?"

Everyone laughed. Lizzy continued, "this year it is Saturday night. We have a group of friends coming out, would you car to join us? 6 at our place not far from here. I will text directions."

Darcy, Richard and Gigi quickly agreed. Charles asked "what can we bring?"

"Well, Jane and Lizzy do a Korean spread – I help make eggrolls which are actually not Asian at all. We also do Vietnamese Summer Rolls and we get Japanese mochi and chocolates for dessert. We've done bun or bahn mi, and once we made pho. I'd love to put together a bubble tea bar this year. So really, anything!" Char explained.

"Great, I'll bring the stir-fried cat." Caroline sneered as Gigi gasped. Charles looked quickly at Jane and jumped up from the table to drag Caroline away, muttering his apologies as he left the restaurant.

Richard was the first to start talking "I am so sorry for her behavior. I don't know how Charles can stand the relation. Please don't hold it against him. Charles is a pretty good guy." Richard was only looking at Charlotte though.

Jane looked close to tears so Lyddie sat in her lap and rested her head on Jane's shoulder. Lizzy simply waived it all off. With her hands on her hips, she said "Well! Now that the trash has taken itself out, what do you say? Asian food at home on Saturday, yeah?" Lizzy winked at Will.


	6. Chapter 6

_Saturday 5 pm…_

Lizzy stretched her back and took in her surroundings. Their guests would begin to arrive in an hour and there were still several things to accomplish before they arrived.

Lyddie was currently at the counter rolling 'kimbap' the seaweed wrapped rice rolls filled with warm seasoned rice, marinated beef, egg, cucumber, pickled Korean radish, carrot, marinated spinach and julienned green onion stalk. It had taken her about 10 lessons to teach Lyddie to roll beautful and colorful seaweed rolls. Lyddie planned to make a few filled with mango and green onion – a combination that strangely tasted like summer. Jane was finishing the last of the barbequed meats, while Charlotte was placing dishes of food around the dining room table.

The girls had decorated the dining room in vibrant reds and golds with a Korean dragon holding a bluish orb decorating the center of the table. The chairs had all been removed to make traveling around the table easier.

In the parlor, the girls had pulled out several low tables and throw pillows to sit upon. Each table had a bowl of steamed rice and each pillow had a tiny red envolope sitting on it. Traditional Korean music was playing softly over the speakers. Lizzy had queued up _Chunhyang_ , the Korean Pansori film the girls always watched after one of their feasts. Lizzy was unsure if her guests would be game, but they had yet to meet someone who could resist the Cinderella/Romeo & Juliet-esq pull of _Chunhyang._ *

The doorbell rang, exactly at 6. Lizzy nervously moved to answer the door. "Hi, Will! Hi, Giggles! I am so glad you could make it. Is Richard coming too?"

"I'm right here! I would not miss this." Richard stepped into the door grinning. "Wow, great place! Charles and Caroline are right behind me." A beaming Charles and sneering Caroline walked in followed by an elderly couple.

Lizzy performed introductions. "Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner, these are our newest friends Will, Gigi, Richard, Charles and Caroline. Guys, this is Lyddie's auntie and uncle Madelyn and James Gardiner." Handshakes were exchanged, except for Caroline who snubbed the Gardiners. Raising her eyebrow to Lizzy, Madelyn said "Lizzy, it smells wonderful in here, you always out do yourselves! Oh! James and I have been practicing!" The elderly couple stepped back and smiled at Lizzy and Jane who had just entered the room, inclined their heads and said "Saehae bok mani badeusayeo!"

Jane gave each of them a quick hug and said "Good blessings to you as well! Kamsa-hamnida! Thank you for joining us!"

Caroline sniffed "I assume you will speak English for the rest of the evening?" "Of course they will Caro! We are learning new things today." Charles attempted to whisper.

"Hmpf. Well, this is a nice home, who's your sugar daddy?" Caroline directed at Lizzy as everyone gasped. Richard stepped in front of Charlotte who looked like she could scratch the eyes out of an alligator. "Caroline, really, there's a three car garage housing a Lexus, a Beamer and a rather sensible Subaru. . . your's Jane?..." Jane nodded. "which I know you saw as you peaked in through the side door so you could bark about their car choices." Caroline interrupted, "yes, just how do three nurses afford this house and those cars?"

Charlotte calmly responded "You never asked what we do, you simply assumed we were nurses, a noble profession, one I'm sure you could never do. However, we, none of us are nurses. Each of us are _doctors_. In fact, Jane delivered YOUR niece last week. We do not have a sugar daddy. Quite the opposite. we are frugal. We live in this home – designed by Jane – together. Lizzy and I also happen to own the lots on either side of the house, in the event we one day want to build our own homes. We carpool or Uber to save on gas and save the planet. Tell me, _Caro_ , did your sugar daddy buy you a house? Is that your frame of reference?" Glancing over her shoulder at a now sheepish Charles, "Oh, or with your big brother?" Richard highfived her.

Following the Gardiners, everyone else shuffled past the now sputtering Caroline while Will shared a quick smile with Lizzy and a "what, are you? 12?" with Richard.

"Alright everyone! Before we get plates, let me introduce you to the food, and explain a bit about it!" Jane happily steered everyone toward the dining room table for the food tour.

While everyone was staring slack-jawed at the table, Lizzy explained: "typically, in Korean homes, you would have a table setting of your own. There is an art to table settings with each season or occasion getting its own setting. Foods are typically served all at one time and the main dishes are eaten family style. But each individual would get his or her own bowl of rice, bowl of soup, bowl to eat various foods and an array of small dishes of banchan or side dishes."

"We don't have enough dishes to do this today!" Lyddie chimed in.

Lizzy continued, "Lyddie is right, so we are doing everything family style today."

Upon entering the dining room, the guests were assaulted with an array of colors and smells. Jane asked everyone to follow her as she described each dish in detail so she would only need to do so once.

"Okay, we've placed all the banchan at this end of the table." Jane gestured to the end of the table closest to her as she described each dish. "We won't be upset if you don't try it all, but you may be surprised so we do recommend it." Lizzy piped in, "our mom always said that picky eaters would not be successful in life, and to eat all the things to bring you great success, wealth and happiness. She probably only said it to get us to eat the octopus!" Everyone but Caroline laughed.

"Banchan essentially means side dishes. We were not sure whether you all were adventurous so we stayed away from the fun fish and squid dishes. Instead we made all our own favorites."

Caroline interrupted "Well, I'm a vegetarian!"

"I assure you that there is plenty that you can eat. We'll tell you if something has fish sauce, meat or eggs in it." Jane continued to point out the dishes "here we have spicy marinated soybean sprouts or kongnamul-muchim. This pancakey thing is stuffed with potato and onions. We have some delicious roots – Gosari which is stir-fried fernbrake, Doraji which is a spicy bellflower root and Yeon-geum-jorim which is a braised lotus root. These stir-fried garlic scapes, or the tops of garlic plants, have some seasoned ground beef in them, so Caroline, you should probably stay away from that." "Or we could just give you a glass of water" Lyddie snickered.

Jane shook her head and continued "this bowl is steamed egg – or gyeranjjim which is sort of like an egg and green onion souffle with some fish sauce and broth. This green dish is marinated spinach or sigeumchi-namul. If we didn't make this, Lizzy would riot." Jane looked lovingly at her sister. "This jelly looking thing is dotorimuk-muchim or seasoned acorn jelly. It doesn't really taste like anything, but it has fun mouth-feel. These julienned potatos with mushrooms are called gamachae-bokkeum. We also have pan fried tofu or dubu-buchim. And, of course, kimchi. This is your traditional whole cabbage kimchi, these are cubed radish kimchi and we have cucumber or oi kimchi. These side dishes are really the meal, the rest you would traditionally eat more reservedly."

Lyddie then took over, "these are mandu or pan-fried pork and vegetable dumplings." She said pointing at the dumplings. "These seaweed rice rolls are kimbap, and these lovely glass noodles are called japchae. It is stir-fried sweet potato noodles with vegetables. This dish is completely vegetarian." Lyddie rolled her eyes at Caroline. "These lettuce wraps are a rip-off P.F. Changs' recipe, but they are sooooo good!"

Lizzy was standing next to steaming platters of meat and a large tureen of soup. "These are some traditional Korean barbeque recipes. This grilled and marinated beef is called bulgogi, and we also have dwaejigogi-bokum or stir fried spicy pork. While this dish, which looks like beef in gravy, is basically beef in gravy! It is galbijjim which was a recipe our mom taught us. She cooked these braised short ribs for special occassions. The soup is a fish stew called Dongtae Jjigae. It is traditionally made with pollock, but we put fresh walleye in it. Lyddie's uncle went on a Lake Erie fishing trip last weekend." Lizzy smiled at James. "I put my favorite side dish down here, because it is sort of a stand alone type of dish. These tiny little fish are stir-fried, sun-dried anchovies called myeolchi. They are super salty and perfect with rice. This was a poor mans' dish. Poor Koreans could eat a little of this dish and get valuable nutrients, but as it was so salty, they would eat it with rice which would be the filler."

"We include non-Korean things in our feast as well. These are Vietnamese summer rolls, these have shrimp. We made my mom's famous sweet and sour chicken." Lizzy gestured to a platter with pieces of chicken, pineapple, grapes and oranges. "I think some Asian immigrant made that up to please Americans." Lizzy joked. "It is fried chicken pieces with a homemade sauce. I have extra sauce, but have only drizzled some over the chicken and fruit." Charlotte pointed to a platter of egg rolls "those are also an American invention, but we've perfected them. Once you eat our homemade pork eggrolls, you will never eat one at a bad chinese buffet again!"

Charlotte pulled a lace table cloth off of a small side table and revealed dessert. "These are rice cakes." Charlotte pointed to a platter of multi-colored and multi-shaped delicacies. "The Japanese call them mochi. In Korea, they are called tteok, and they come with assorted fillings. The peanut fillings are the best. The dark green ones have a pine-needle filling that reminds me of eating a Christmas tree!" Charlotte pointed to a bowl of rice cakes on ice. "These are Japanese style mochi and they are filled with ice cream that coordinates to their color. The green is not mint, but rather, green tea. And the darker pink is sweet red bean. The light pink is strawberry and then there is chocolate, vanilla and the orange is mango."

Georgiana giggled and said "I can't wait to try some of everything! Will is going to have to roll me home!" Jane smiled "well, we will call you little jeolgo-the little drum, then!" Everyone laughed and began to dig in to the meal.

* _Chunhyang is a Korean film which retells the traditional Korean folktale of a young, secretly married couple in the 18_ _th_ _Century. The son of a governor and the daughter of a courtesan secretly marry & are separated. The new corrupt governor covets her, but she refuses to betray her vows so she is sentenced to be beaten to death on the governor's birthday for refusing to submit._


	7. Chapter 7

There were additional friends who flitted in and out throughout the evening to eat and chat, and there was a general buzz of contentment heard around the house. By the end of the evening, the girls had fed close to 40 people, their current record.

"Thank you for coming, and for letting Lyddie stay the weekend" Lizzy thanked Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner as they made to leave. "She is a huge help, and I think she is enjoying spending time with Gigi."

"The food was fantastic. I'm not sure how you get it all done every year, or how you manage to make it different every year!" Madelyn said. "Thank you for the left overs, and for having us. Tell Lyddie to come home after work tomorrow." James said as he closed the front door.

Lizzy looked around the parlor, at her assembled friends. Smiling slightly, she thought "Friends. These are my friends."

Gigi and Lyddie were sitting together under a fuzzy blanket, watching Chunhyang and whispering and sighing at the romance and angst.

Char and Richard were enjoying a glass of wine and speaking animatedly to one another, the air punctuctuated with the sounds of Richard's deep laugh. Charlotte briefly looked at Lizzy and smiled a smile that would melt hearts. It may just have melted Rich's as he paused to look about.

Jane and Charles were in a corner with their heads together, speaking softly. If Lizzy were a betting woman, she'd bet Jane had just lost her heart for the first time.

Caroline had chosen to leave part way through the evening when Richard spilled red wine on her dress, and told her "don't worry, it actually enhances your look." She stormed out taking Charles' keys and his car. How had this group of strangers become friends so quickly? Shaking her head, Lizzy headed to the dining room to begin cleaning up.

"Do you mind if I help?" Will asked following Lizzy into the dining room.

"There isn't much to do, but gather and wash dishes, and put up leftovers. I'd love the company." Lizzy smiled.

Will offered a smile in return and began to gather dishes. "The food was amazing, and I can't believe you three did this all." "Well, Lyddie helped too!" Lizzy laughed. "Yes, you four. There was so much food, and all of it good. Gigi will be talking about this for weeks."

Manuevering around Lizzy, Will deposited an armload of empty dishes near the sink and picked up a sponge to start washing. "I have enjoyed spending time with you, but I'm not sure that we've had a chance to actually talk to each other yet. There always seems to be something exciting happening!" Will turned toward Lizzy.

"No, we haven't. But I rather like how we've spent our last two get-togethers. The beauty of meeting in groups like this is that the awkwardness of first dates sort of melts away, and you are left with a pretty accurate impression of people in general." Lizzy said. "I like to watch how people will respond to our rather boisterous sports outings or to our friendship or the food we make for our friends and loved ones. I mean, we don't eat like this all the time, but we do eat a lot of Asian food." Lizzy laughed.

Will responded "Hockey was great, there is nothing worse than attending a game with someone who isn't interested in it or interested in learning about it …" Will paused "… like Caroline." They both laughed.

Suddenly getting serious, "listen, I really wanted to apologize for Caroline. I know she isn't my sister, and I didn't bring her here, but she was out of line. Actually, she is always out of line." Will nervously pulled at his shirt.

"Please don't apologize for her. Jane and I meet people like her all the time. Borderline racist snobs who are only interested in hearing themselves speak. Also, don't take this the wrong way, but she is totally hot for you, and I think a bit peeved that you were here, that you were all here to see us." Lizzy responded.

"Did we make a good impression?" Will asked. Lizzy laughed "You all passed, except Caroline. We need to talk to Charles. I cannot have her over here again, I might beat her up and how would that look on my professional bio?" Lizzy giggled "Dr. Lizzy Bennet, anesthesiologist and amateur pugilist." They both laughed..

Will said "I love sports, though I am usually a bit more subdued than you…" Lizzy smirked. "… and Gigi and I love Asian food, but I confess it is usually Indian or Chinese take out!" Will continued "Meeting you has been great for Gigi. She is usually so shy, but all she has done is talk about 'Dr. Lizzy' or 'Dr. Lizzy's sisters' or 'Dr. Lizzy's friend Lyddie.' She's a great kid, but pretty isolated. She and I don't have many friends, in fact, I think our entire circle was here in your dining room, minus Louisa and her husband and their new baby." Will smiled and moved to drying dishes while Lizzy took over washing.

"Jane and I have always been isolated. We had our sisters and Char, but that was pretty much it. We were the odd ducks, the only kids of Asian descent at our small school, and that was a bit difficult. Then, our parents were academics who didn't really get into sports or school activities like other parents. So we didn't really mingle, we were pretty different." Lizzy looked out the window.

"When Jane and I were young, my mom fed us Korean food for breakfast lunch and dinner about 5 days a week. My mom even packed our school lunches with rice and soup! It was just easier because you can make a big pot of rice and big pot of soup and just supplement it with some small dishes and eat that for like a week." Lizzy fondly remembered. "Sometimes, I will do that when I really miss my folks. I will make a giant pot of rice and some beef soup or kimchi soup and just eat that all week. Or is I am not feeling well, I will make a couple of those 10 cent ramen noodle packets and swirl in some beaten egg - a poor man's egg drop soup. My mom used to make that for me when I was sick. It makes me feel close to my mom to eat food she used to make for us." Lizzy looked into the understanding eyes of Will as he said, "I know exactly what you mean. I do something similar, though not with food. When I really miss my dad, I will put on his robe and sit in his favorite chair and read his favorite books."

Lizzy nodded. "Our dad was away a lot for his research and sometimes he'd take a short term teaching position at other Universities. He always came home on weekends if he was able. When he was home we ate hamburgers or roasted chicken or pot roast. But that was not the norm." Lizzy giggled, "in fact, I don't believe that I ever ate spaghetti until I made it to the high school, and I think I had only eaten at McDonald's once by then as well. We were thoroughly Korean at home." Will smiled at Lizzy's reminiscence.

"So, anyway, our house _smelled_ like a Korean house. Very garlicky, very oniony, very salty and earthy and burnt." Lizzy sighed. "Did you think the food smelled today?" Startled, Will responded "No. It smelled so inviting." Lizzy smiled at Will "Most people react like Caroline, nose in the air, complaining about the smell or the names."

"When Jane and I got older, and experienced American food more often, we would avoid bringing any of our acquaintances home." Lizzy moved to put an armful of filled plastic containers into the refrigerator.

"We had been burned so many times. When we'd make a friend and invite them over, they usually ended up going back to school and telling people our house smelled like garbage. Charlotte might have been our only friend who never did that. Even some of my parents' friends said things like that." Lizzy looked away. "It is pretty hard to be different from the crowd. It is even harder to be outcast. I think one reason I was always glad to have skipped ahead in school is because I got to leave behind the kids that called me 'garbage house' or made fun of our mom. I had Jane and Char and we three were a force when some kid was picking." Lizzy glanced back at Will. "But now we sort of embrace it-the differences. Oh, and when Jane or I are really hungry for authentic weird Korean food like the little stir-fried fish or some insanely spicy dish that normal people would run away from, we ask Char if she minds garbage house for the night, and we dig in." Lizzy peaked around the corner at those still chatting in the parlor. "It is one of the reasons we invited you all tonight. We wanted to share a meal with you, but we really wanted to share this meal with you. All of us. We've decided that anyone that turns their nose up at kimchi isn't going to be invited back." Lizzy laughed a bright open laugh as she looked at Will.

Will said "I'm pretty sure you will have to hog-tie Rich to drag him from here, even though he has to be back in DC tomorrow night. He has a weakness for smart, beautiful women and good food." Will winked. "And my sister may just want to move into your house, if only for the ice cream mochi and those Ramune soda drinks!"

Will moved to sit at the counter and said "I know I already said this, but we . . . _I_ have really enjoyed myself. It has been fun getting to meet your sister and Char, getting to learn a bit about your mother's culture. I'm really glad to have met you. I find it startlingly easy to talk to you, Lizzy and if you hadn't guessed, I don't find it easy to talk to anyone at all."

Lizzy moved to the counter, sliced a duteop – a Korean rice cake dusted with soybean powder and filled with a peanut paste – and handed half to Will. "Sometimes just listening is better." They sat at the counter and contentedly ate their duteop, and listened to the sounds of their friends and family – the sounds of contentedness.


End file.
